Citroen DS Le Dandy: the last coachbuilt car?

As this week will be Salon Retromobile, we are looking into some of the cars on show. One of them will be the stunning Citroën DS ‘Le Dandy’, which will be presented by Fine Automobiles.

 

When Citroën, in October 1955, introduced their new model, the DS or Déesse (Goddess) at the Salon de Automobile in Paris it created a true sensation. Don't forget the DS was replacing the Traction Avant. If you look at these 2 models today one can understand that it was shocking.

The DS was something so futuristic in both technique and design that Citroën took 12.000 Orders on the first day only, raising this number to 80.000 by the end of the fair.

 

Therefore, it was not surprising that coachbuilder Henri Chapron, famous for his designs on Delahaye Bugatti and many more high-end automobiles before WW2, decided to have part in this success.  He designed an open top version of the car. These cars he named “Le Croisette”.

 

In the beginning he was forced to buy complete cars, which he then converted into decapotables. But when Citroën saw the success of Chapron, they entered into a partnership whereby Chapron’s company would receive running chassis to directly build the convertibles on. The result was the so-called "Usine", or “factory”. These were to be offered through Citroën dealerships. The most successful Chapron bodied car was born and sold 1365 times as a factory version, on top off already 389 pieces done by himself. Nowadays one of the most wanted versions of the famous Citroen DS.

 

This was not enough. Being a true bespoke bodybuilder from trade, Henri Chappron used his success with the "Le Croisette" To make even more exclusive versions on the DS base.  Provocatively named "Le Leman, Le Concorde, Le Lorraine, le Caddy”, to name a few.

 

To most of us, the "Le Dandy", and especially with the first Series tail, is perhaps the most beautiful of all. A fabulous coupe with a large rear section, low windshield and chrome elements all over. Typically for a Henri Chapron design. 

 

During Retromobile 2019 Fine Automobiles will be bringing this ultimate version of the goddess back to a Paris motor show. Showing a recently restored "Le Dandy". An extremely rare ID19 version with manual gearbox and large white steering wheel. Back to former glory in the original colors of red, with black roof and leather. 

 

 

The Rétromobile show will be from Wednesday, February 6th to Sunday, February 10th, 2019 at Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles (1 place de la Porte de Versailles 75015 Paris).